Re: Re: UKHA2003 - key learnings?

["Mark McCall" <mark@xxxxxxx>]

> I know the comment below was in jest, but I'm just picking up on a
> recurring theme.  I understand that we need as much early commitment
as
> we can, as we should all book early if we can.  But I think it's worth
> bearing in mind that, given the work profile of those on the list,
> there'll be quite a few of us who are in the situation (as I was this
> year) of just not being able to commit to a weekend much in advance.
> (My software go-live weekend could well have slipped to this weekend,
> thus meaning I didn't know until the Monday before that I was
definitely
> going to make it - I told Graham as soon as I could.)

Basically we all make time for the things we want to make time for. While I
can see a small percentage of people wanting to visit may not be able to
plan ahead...surely most of us can.  We had the date set 5 or 6 months in
advance.  If it was a friends wedding or something it would just go in your
diary and you'd be there.

> However, we were all really hoping to be able to turn up and join in.
> Although I'm sure some of us are deliberately being pains in the ___
:-)

No comment :)

> most of us late-comers were just pleased to be able to turn up at all,
> and I feel that criticism of that, and the idea penalising us with a
> large price hike (as was suggested in another message) is a little
> unfair.

Here's the thing.  12 weeks away from the event Graham still didn't have
enough money in to cover anywhere near its costs.  This was entering the
period where you have to pay proportionally the nearer you cancel.

It seemed v hard to get any sort of commitment from people.  Then the
weekend itself turned out to be way above our expectations.  But if people
HAD pre-booked then we could have had the two big rooms beside each other
this year.

Thanks for your comments.

M.